-------------------------
Via Workers World News Service
Reprinted from the Aug. 21, 1997
issue of Workers World newspaper
-------------------------Labor conference in Cuba
"A fighting program for the world's workers"
By Molly Charboneau in Havana
On Aug. 6, over 1,200 delegates from more than 60 countries--representing some 300 unions and social organizations--met here to open a three-day International Meeting of Workers and Unions Against Neoliberalism and Globalization.
Brazil's vibrant delegation was the biggest at the conference. The second largest was a multinational contingent of over 100 activists from the U.S./Cuba Labor Exchange.
Workers from Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe, Eastern Europe, and the for mer Soviet Union were here. The national labor federations of Cuba, Vietnam and the People's Republic of China participated on the presiding committee.
Many young workers came directly from the 14th World Festival of Youth and Students to speak on behalf of their unions.
"Our objective is to seek a response to the grave problems that neoliberalism and globalization impose on the masses and workers in all areas of the world," said Lionel Gonzalez, secretary for international relations of the Central Organization of Cuban Trade Unions (CTC), in his welcoming remarks.
Since the disastrous collapse of the USSR, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the imperialist bankers they represent have intensified their plunder of the economies of many developing countries. They do this by forcing countries to open their domestic markets, sell state industries, and raise prices on food and fuel.
This policy of "neoliberalism," combined with globalization of many corporations, has worsened the conditions faced by the world's workers. But it has also raised the prospect of renewed struggle.
"The international workers' movement is in a condition to pass to the offensive and take up its responsibility to defend the rights of the working class, the poorest, the most marginalized by neoliberalism," CTC General Secretary Pedro Ross told the conference.
Socialist Cuba has served as a beacon for continued revolutionary struggle. Speakers paid tribute to the Cuban Revolution throughout the event.
FIGHTING PROGRAM PROPOSED
For nearly a year before the conference, an international co-sponsoring committee drew information from unions around the world and developed a Draft Resolution on a Minimum Program of Workers' Actions Against Neoliberal Globalization.
The eight-page document, distributed on the first day, summarized imperialism's worst crimes and outlined a 22- point action proposal for discussion.
On the first day of the conference, delegates met in five commissions to share information about neoliberalism's impact on specific areas: privatization; employment, underemployment and pov erty; cuts in social security, health and educational services; women, immigrants and child labor; and world unipolarity and loss of sovereignty and national independence.
Findings of these commissions, which listened to several hundred speakers, were translated into English, Spanish, French and Portuguese, and distributed to all delegates.
CONFERENCE DISCUSSES ACTION PROPOSAL
The second and third days were devoted to plenary discussion of the action proposal.
"This is not just a document, but a fighting program for the world's workers," said a Uruguayan union leader on behalf of the co-sponsoring committee.
"Our papers can be thrown in the wastebasket if we do not come away with two things: greater unity and greater struggle."
In that spirit, speaker after speaker from every corner of the globe took the floor and addressed various points of the program.
Unionists from the Third World spoke of the impoverishment their workers have suffered as a result of neoliberal policies, and the strikes and struggles they have waged against them.
Delegates from Asia and Africa spoke of the difficulties of travel and the need for continental labor meetings to build the struggle against global imperialism.
Unionists from developed countries--the U.S., Canada, Australia and Europe--described ruling-class attacks on workers such as denial of immigrant rights, police repression, downsizing, unionbusting, workfare programs and NAFTA-style trade agreements.
A Russian delegate described the devastation capitalist restoration had created in the former USSR and Eastern Europe. Many speakers called to set a date for internationally coordinated actions against neoliberalism.
CUBA WILL CONTINUE TO RESIST
On the last day of the conference, Cuban National Assembly President Ricardo Alarcon spoke on the history of U.S. aggression and the economic blockade against Cuba, which began just months after the revolution.
"Cuba continues to exist because Cuba represents something that for our enemies is difficult to accept," Alarcon said.
"We are waging a battle on behalf of all the people of the world," he concluded. "Please have no doubts that this small country will be capable of continued resistance."
His remarks received a standing ovation and shouts of "Viva Cuba!"
On behalf of the co-sponsoring committee, an Argentine union leader then read a strong resolution drafted by the U.S. delegation supporting Cuba against the U.S. blockade. The resolution condemned the Helms-Burton Act, which threatens to punish any countries that trade with Cuba.
MAY DAY ACTIONS RATIFIED
A final version of the draft program was approved by a consensus of conference delegates. Proposals include increasing international communication and coordination among unions to more effectively combat neoliberalism and globalization; defending the rights of immigrants, women, children and all workers; organizing the unemployed; supporting self-determination against imperialism; linking the union movement with other social movements opposing neoliberalism; and unmasking the unpayable and unfair external debt robbing the underdeveloped world of its wealth.
An important action proposal called for "organizing national, subnational and regional periods against neoliberal globalization and declaring May Day 1998 an international day of struggle against neoliberalism." The conference concluded with the singing of "The Internationale" in a chorus of many languages.
[The writer, a member of the National Writers Union, UAW Local 1981, participated in the conference with the U.S./Cuba Labor Exchange.]
This article is copyright under a Creative Commons License.
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